Kortec makes high-volume system for multilayer food containers

The coinjection molding system features a 64 cavity stack mold — 32 cavities on each side — allowing manufacturers to double their output without using a larger machine.

The system is the first of its kind and its creation is a big step forward for the industry, said Russell W. Bennett, vice president of sales and marketing, at NPE2012.

The stack molding system is cost-effective and highly productive, making it ideal for brand owners with high annual volume requirements, he said.

The system is used to manufacture multi-layer thinwall plastic food containers with an inner and outer layer of polypropylene and an inner EVOH barrier layer. It can also be used to develop multilayer caps and closures.

The containers can be used for multiple food products, from soups to dairy products, and are shelf-stable for up to a year, Bennett said.

The system is capable of molding more than 200 million parts per year and has a cycle time of 7.5 seconds. The mold runs on a Husky Hyelectric 800 ton injection molding machine and the 64-cavity stack cold tooling was produced by StackTeck.

The container is proprietary, and Kortec would not disclose the name of the U.S.-based client.

Kortec’s multilayer food container technology, which can use PP or PET, debuted in 2009. Since then, the company has focused on developing new shapes, styles, and packaging options for the food and beverage industry.